The Republican Party establishment is extremely sensitive to Rep. Steve King’s alleged transgressions against political correctness. King stumbled into the clutches of intraparty opponents by appearing to confirm their “narrative” that his hardline immigration posture equates with “white supremacy.” Even Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell got into the act of denouncing King before the House voted to reprove him and the Republican caucus stripped him of committee memberships.
So how will the establishment respond to Sen. Marco Rubio’s incitement of civil war in Venezuela by tweeting a photo of one of his political foes literally being tortured to death? Over the weekend, in a flimsily veiled threat to Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, Rubio tweeted a photo of a bloody and tormented Muammar Gaddafi during the moments he was being sodomized with a bayonet and beaten to death.
Overwhelming bipartisan agreement has developed among U.S. politicos that Maduro’s evil regime should be replaced by a better one. Avoiding civil war during the eventual transition away from Maduro would be a good thing, but not in the mind of Generalísimo Rubio. Maduro’s discredited rule may gain a new measure of sympathy because of the young senator’s propaganda gesture suggesting that the Venezuelan strongman be subjected to anal rape and brutal murder.
“I tremble for my country,” Thomas Jefferson said, “when I reflect that God is just.”
Will Catholic and Evangelical leaders speak out against Rubio’s vile gesture?
How many senators will take action to punish Rubio for his offense against human dignity and the honor of the United States? Will Rubio face censure? Removal from committee posts?
If McConnell is consistent, he will adapt to Rubio’s case what he said about King: “If he doesn’t understand why murder and anal rape with a bayonet are offensive, he should find another line of work.”
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